Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew: Faith sustained Georgia through its darkest trials

In a message delivered at Svetitskhoveli Cathedral by Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople offered his spiritual greetings to the people of Georgia on the feast of Svetitskhovloba and the 1,700th anniversary of the country’s adoption of Christianity.

Patriarch Bartholomew highlighted the enduring legacy of Saint Nino, Equal-to-the-Apostles and Enlightener of Georgia, whose preaching led to the conversion of King Mirian and Queen Nana. He noted that her grapevine cross remains an enduring symbol of the Almighty’s power, reminding every generation that the Gospel is proclaimed through lives dedicated to prayer and loving service.

The Ecumenical Patriarch underscored that through centuries of severe trials, the unbroken devotion of martyrs, monastics, and believers preserved Georgia’s spiritual life.

“Throughout the centuries, the Church of Georgia has fortified this apostolic heritage through the unwavering devotion of its faithful believers, the witness of its martyrs, and the ascetic labours of its monastics. Even during times of the most severe tribulations, the confession of the Orthodox faith has sustained and preserved the spiritual life of the Georgian nation. The holy churches of Mtskheta stand as a vivid testament to the unbreakable bond between Christian worship and the history of the Georgian people,” the letter read.

Welcoming the international symposium in Tbilisi dedicated to Georgia’s heritage, Patriarch Bartholomew called on the faithful to express their baptismal faith through daily action: caring for the poor, the sick, and the lonely, while upholding human dignity.

Reflecting on shared Orthodox unity, the Ecumenical Patriarch recalled standing alongside the Georgian Church in Tbilisi in March 2026 for the funeral of the late Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II, offering renewed prayers for his soul.

Concluding his address to Catholicos-Patriarch Shio III, Bartholomew I wished him wisdom and fortitude at the start of his leadership, invoking divine blessings, health, and unity upon the hierarchy, clergy, and all the people of Georgia.